When the first information on the new Nintendo game console appeared, many wondered: "How can it be able to withstand the products of such powerful corporations as Microsoft and Sony?" Nintendo deliberately fueled the interest of future consumers and did not reveal its cards for a long time. And only shortly before the announcement of its new game console, it demonstrated a controller intended for it, which can rightfully be called a revolutionary product, since thanks to it, the player gains a much greater degree of freedom during the game than before.
When the specs for the console were released, some skeptical experts questioned the console's future market success. The fact is that it demonstrated the image quality that was characteristic of the previous generation consoles such as the Xbox and PS2. But their predictions did not come true. Amazing with its novelty, exciting gameplay was able to attract the attention of a huge number of consumers, which ensured the new product an unprecedented market success.
Design.
The console is very compact and looks very elegant, in particular thanks to the glossy finish, it has a simple outline and is devoid of any embellishments. The front panel contains: a slotted slot for inserting a disk, a key for ejecting it and a power button.
Under the cover there is an internal slot for SD cards and a key for pairing with the controller. The device is convenient to use in low light conditions, as the disc slot is illuminated. On the top panel (if the console is installed vertically), behind two plastic plugs, there are four connectors for connecting controllers and two connectors for memory cards.
The rear panel has two USB interfaces and connectors to which you can connect: power, touch panel and AV cable. Most of the consoles are supplied to the market in a white color scheme, but it is possible to order a set-top box in a different color case.
Supervisors and management.
The main distinguishing feature of the Wii game console is a fundamentally new game control system, in which the user interacts with the console in a completely new way. The game controller, called the Wiimote, contains an accelerometer and several infrared sensors that determine the player's position in three dimensions, speed, acceleration and direction of travel.
The controller has a built-in speaker of a small size and a memory chip that stores the user profile. This is very convenient in the following case: let's say you came to visit the owner of the Wii game console with your controller, in whose memory your personal profile is stored and decided to play a little, in such a situation you can use it on someone else's console, this is certainly convenient ...
At the bottom of the product there is a connector to which additional accessories can be connected. The controller is wireless, it is powered by two AA batteries. The key for turning on and off the set-top box is located in the upper part of the vimot.
The second component of the set-top box control system is the so-called nunchak. It also has an accelerometer, an analog joystick and two keys. It is a standard addition to the controller. Instead, other controllers can be connected to the wimot, which are designed for a specific game.
Drive unit.
The set-top box uses a DVD as a digital data carrier, which has significantly reduced the recommended price of the product. This decision was justified, since the capacity of the DVD is sufficient for gaming applications that run on the Wii.The slot design of the drive requires careful handling of the disc to avoid possible damage.
Interface.
The interface is made in the form of a set of icons, each of which corresponds to the so-called channel (Wii Channel). After you select the channel, the game or the function of the console is activated. These channels are used for working with the Internet (for browsing, shopping, weather information, messaging, voting, etc.) and for games. Such a channel is selected using the Wiimote controller.
There are six channels in total:
Disc channel
It is used when games are started from disc. It is also important that the console supports discs used in previous generation Nintendo consoles. After loading the disc into the console and playing, its name and the game logo are displayed in the channel window. If a disc is used for the GameCube console, disc information is not displayed.
Channel Mii. Used for character creation and specific games: Wii Fit Wii Sports, Mario Kart Wii, WarioWare: Wii Play,, Mario Party Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, Smooth Moves, and Mario Strikers Charged
Photo channel
Designed for viewing video and photo files and listening to audio recordings. You can use a simple graphic editor, with the help of which inscriptions are applied to the photograph and a set of simple effects is involved. There is a possibility of sending photos through a corporate service. There is a built-in slideshow mode with musical accompaniment, which can be used as any mp3-files of your choice, not just pre-installed ones.
Shopping channel
Used to purchase game applications and download proprietary software for the console. The range of games is updated weekly, it is replenished not only with new applications, but also games ported from other platforms.
The list of games that are offered for download varies depending on the regional code of the console. In stores intended for different regions of the world, the price of the same game may be different. The so-called wii-points are used for payment. The price of the game is usually between 500 and 1000 of these conditional points.
News channel.
Designed to display news that are downloaded using the proprietary WiiConnect service.
Weather channel.
With its help, you can always get acquainted with the weather forecast. In the channel settings, you must enter the country name and place of residence in advance.
By connecting to the Internet, you can use the following channels:
* Internet channel.
It is essentially a special version of the Opera browser for the Nintendo Wii. To obtain information, only HTTPS or http protocols are used.
* Channel - Everyone votes.
The channel is intended for voting, working 24 hours a day.
* Channel - Mii Competitions.
It exposes created Mii on a given theme, voting is used to determine the best of them.
* Nintendo Channel.
Designed for downloading demo versions of patch games for them and all sorts of videos related to Nintendo.
Games
The main purpose of any console is of course games, everything else is secondary for them. Currently, about 500 projects are available to users, in addition, as already noted, the console supports game applications that were released for the GameCube, a total of 65. To this number should be added games ported from consoles of previous generations. The result is an impressive arsenal of mostly exclusive gaming applications. But, of course, the point is not the number of games. The most important advantage of the Wii is a completely new user experience of total immersion in the gameplay, which cannot be obtained playing on more powerful consoles from rival companies. The direct participation of the player in virtual games makes an indelible impression.Although the current level of technology development imposes certain restrictions on the gameplay, you soon stop paying attention to this and completely immerse yourself in the exciting game world. In such a situation, the relatively low level of graphics practically does not matter, since you will not leave the feeling of involvement in the events that take place in the game.
Using the vimot, it is not difficult to control the gameplay, everything happens on an intuitive level. It is necessary to act in the same way as in a certain life situation. Deal blows to a virtual opponent, move objects, pull levers and get a sea of emotions at the same time. During the game, the controller shudders and makes sounds corresponding to the current game situation, which contributes to complete immersion in the atmosphere of the game.
This unique, inherently simple control, which does not require preliminary study of the controls, attracts the attention of a large number of users. Among them there are people who previously treated electronic games with complete indifference, since they did not want to spend their free time on a detailed study of all the numerous details of the gameplay. Nintendo has made a very successful move by creating a device with extremely simple controls available to all categories of consumers.
The Wii Fit interactive game is a prime example. It consists of simple physical exercises that do not require much effort from a person. This fun game has a very positive effect on a person's well-being, as he is simultaneously moving, having fun and in addition losing excess weight.
It is very interesting to run first-person shooters on the console. Thanks to the new control scheme, a whole complex of new sensations arises. The thing is that the player has complete freedom of movement in space, and it is very convenient to aim with a Vimot.
Many will surely be attracted by the opportunity to play their favorite games in a company, because doing something together is always more fun than alone.
Conclusions and assessments.
The advantages of the Nintendo Wii game console include ease of use, a large number of gaming applications, quiet operation, revolutionary control and a high level of interactivity.
The disadvantages of the set-top box include somewhat overpriced gaming accessories, average graphics and the inability to play DVD-Video discs.
Nintendo's management has proven to the entire world community that a non-standard approach to designing electronics products not only has the right to exist, but can also bring tangible dividends. Its game console turned out to be simple, extremely intuitive and very easy to use. Immediately after its appearance on the market, it gained great popularity among a huge army of consumers who voted for it around the world with their own means, having acquired it.
